Huckabee, Obama Sweep Rural Communities and Louisiana Primaries

Mike Huckabee won Louisiana because he won rural and exurban votes. Sen. Barack Obama won across the state, but his margins were larger in urban areas than in rural communities.

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Becca, of Vassalboro, Maine, took this photo of a rally she attended today (Sunday) in Bangor, Maine. (Maine holds its caucuses today.) She writes: "After 1 1/2 hours in a line that was about 1/2 a mile (long) and almost circled the Bangor Auditorium, I was able to get balcony seats with 5000 other Barack supporters while thousands were turned away. What an amazing and history making time we are living in."

The candidates who won rural Louisiana won both the Democratic and Republican primaries Saturday.

Former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee carried absolute majorities in rural and exurban Louisiana, according to an analysis of votes by the Daily Yonder. He won more than 50 percent of the vote in the areas outside the cities. Sen. John McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee, pulled only about a third of the rural and exurban vote.

McCain, however, won urban Louisiana — primarily New Orleans and Baton Rouge. (McCain lost Shreveport and Monroe.) He took nearly 45% of the urban vote in the state, but still lost to Huckabee because of the Arkansan's overwhelming strength in rural communities.

Illinois Sen. Barack Obama won across Louisiana and beat New York Sen. Hillary Clinton 57.4% to 35.6% in a decisive victory. Obama won nearly 53% of the rural and exurban portions of the state, while Clinton's totals hovered just under 40%.

In urban Louisiana, however, Obama increased his margins. The Illinois senator won Shreveport two to one. In parts of New Orleans, Obama held a three to one majority.

Obama won everything on Saturday, including caucuses in Nebraska and Washington. In Nebraska, Obama took all three of the state's congressional districts, including the sprawling third congressional district that covers the western two-thirds of the state. In Washington state's caucuses, Obama also won across the state in an overwhelming victory.

There are caucuses in Maine today. There will be full primaries Tuesday in Maryland, Washington, DC, and Virginia.